Alabama, Auburn set to host nation’s top 2 teams in the same week
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We know college football season isn’t over yet but college basketball fans in the state have plenty of reasons to get excited.
It’ll be a historic week in Alabama as No. 1 Houston and No. 2 Purdue are coming to visit Auburn and Alabama within a four-day span. Here’s what you need to know for both games:
- Who: No. 2 Purdue at No. 8 Alabama
- When: 6PM | Thursday, Nov. 13
- Where: Coleman Coliseum | Tuscaloosa, AL
- Watch: ESPN2
- Who: No. 1 Houston vs. No. 22 Auburn
- When: 2PM | Sunday, Nov. 16
- Where: Legacy Arena | Birmingham, AL
- Watch: ESPN
Purdue at Alabama
Alabama’s trip to New York City was just the start of a brutal stretch of non-conference games for Nate Oats and his squad.
Alabama is in a stretch of four straight games against teams currently ranked in the top 20. Next up is Purdue, the preseason No. 1 team that fell one spot in the latest rankings.
The Crimson Tide is 7-12 against teams ranked in the top 5 under Nate Oats. The team is 3-4 against opponents ranked in the top 2.
Purdue has beaten Alabama in each of the last two seasons + the Boilermakers hold a 7-3 edge all time against the Crimson Tide.
Houston vs. Auburn
While this game is technically at a neutral site, we are pretty sure the orange + blue will be the overwhelming majority Sunday afternoon inside Legacy Arena.
Last season, the Tigers went 12-6 against ranked teams including a 3-0 record against top-5 teams during the regular season. Auburn beat then-No. 4 Houston in Texas last November.
Auburn’s last game against a No. 1 team came in 2020 when the Tigers lost to Gonzaga. The Tigers have not beaten a top-ranked team since 1988—a 53-52 win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena.
AP Top 25
The first regular season Associated Press Top 25 for men’s college basketball dropped Monday afternoon and Alabama is among the teams with the biggest jump from the preseason poll.
The Crimson Tide knocked off No. 5 St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, claiming a top-5 win for the fifth consecutive season. The result was enough to send Alabama from No. 15 to No. 8 in the latest AP rankings.
Alabama was one of three teams to jump at least 7 spots from their preseason rankings. The Tide is now the highest-ranked SEC team after defending champion Florida was knocked off by Arizona.
One voter put Alabama at No. 1 on their ballot, making the Tide one of six teams to receive a first-place vote this week.
Meanwhile, Auburn fell two spots to No. 22 after a surprisingly tough first week in the Steven Pearl era. But the Tigers will certainly have a chance to shoot up the rankings this week with a short trip to Birmingham.
Which game are you looking forward to the most? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
